1702 just celebrated its ten-year anniversary as Tucson’s first major craft beer bar.

1702 just celebrated its ten-year anniversary as Tucson’s first major craft beer bar. Austin Santos, the restaurant’s owner, is quick to point out that “independent beer bar” is now a more accurate description for 1702. Many “craft” breweries have been bought out by Anheuser Busch InBev, so 1702 no longer carries them, instead choosing to support breweries that have stayed independent.

1702 specializes in pizza and beer, and Santos has spent over a decade becoming an expert in both.

In November 2010, he started The Address, his own brewing operation within 1702. The Address operates on a small scale, but their offerings are varied and designed with a beer enthusiast’s palate in mind. In August, there were six beers from The Address on the 1702 menu, three of which are American porters brewed with different coffee varieties from Yellow Brick. They also have Address Dark Mountain, a black IPA, Address Douglas Spring Saison, and Address Jazz Session, an American IPA. Small, frequent batches allow for experimentation, and The Address doesn’t shy away from complex flavors. They’ve made a smoked apple Berliner weisse with juniper and a barrel aged cantaloupe sour, and they have aged many past brews in tequila and Del Bac barrels.

While distribution of The Address’ product is limited, Santos is in no hurry to grow it. “We feel that neighborhood breweries are the sustainable option, as that has been a sustainable model for 30 years,” Santos says. “Too many breweries are attempting to become regional brewers, and that is a recipe for craft saturation.”

It is possible, even in a supportive city like Tucson, where symbiosis means survival for local businesses, to feel the weight of that saturation.

Santos and his wife, Devin, are in the process of opening another family-friendly pizza and beer joint on the northeast side of town, Bear Canyon Pizza, so The Address will likely have a second home near Mt. Lemmon.